History

The Harbor Unit of the New York City Police Department was
founded on March 15, 1858. Its purpose was to combat piracy aboard the merchant
ships lying at anchor in the harbor and waterfront thugs who were terrorizing
the unloading docks. Within a few weeks of its founding a fleet of twelve tow
boats with five man crews was formed. This method of patrol proved effective and
over a short period of time the piracy and thievery was adequately dealt with.

On February 1, 1863, the Harbor Unit, then known as the Marine
Division, launched its first steamer, The Seneca, a side wheeler. The
steamers gradually replaced the row boat fleet by the year 1901.

In 1916 the first gasoline engine patrol boats were incorporated
into the fleet and on April 12, 1926 the last steamer was retired from the
fleet.

The New York City Police Department is responsible for
patrolling 146 square miles of navigable waters and 576 miles of waterfront. Its
mission is carried on throughout the harbor for the protection of life and
property, the prevention and detection of crime, arrest of offenders,
preservation of the public peace and the enforcement of all laws and ordinances.

The Harbor Unit performs patrol duty 24 hours per day, 365 days
a year, on blazing hot days of summer to frigid cold days of winter. Its primary
mission is rescue of persons in distress while swimming, overboard from boating mishaps
(accident, fire, explosion), despondent persons having jumped into the
water from piers, bridges, or ferryboats, or the rescue of persons stranded
aboard their boats which are in distress and disabled at sea.

Terrorist activity is a world wide menace today. Security
patrols are maintained off of the two major New York Airports, LaGuardia and
J.F.K., during the arrivals and departures thereat of our President, foreign
heads of state and their representatives while visiting our City. These security
patrols are being extended to the waters off of the United Nations Building
while it is in session with heads of state addressing it.

The commercial aspect of the harbor is year-round with the
movement of ferryboats, ocean liners, freighters, tankers, tugs, barges, scows, lighters,
sightseeing cruisers, commercial and party fishing boats, all plying their trade
daily.

The pleasure boating is seasonal each year with more and more
boaters taking to the water at the first signs of warm sunshine as early as
April and continuing through late October. In the period when pleasure boating
is at its peak, the Harbor Unit launches its smaller craft for patrol in the
areas frequented by the pleasure boating public to render necessary services to
them and help make their boating safe.

Rikers Island with its Correctional Institution (Prison), Hart
Island, and the various other islands within the City of New York are also the
subject of special patrols by the Harbor Unit.

The members assigned to the Harbor Unit for marine patrol are
selected form the regular street patrol force of the New York City Police
Department. They have prior marine experience and knowledge in small boat
handling and operation, having been raised along the waterfront or having been
previously employed in the maritime industry. Their personnel are specifically
assigned wither to launch crew duty, maintenance and repair functions at the
Launch Repair Shop, or to the full time, around-the-clock Scuba Team.

When you are in trouble in the waters of New York City you can
be sure that you will be aided by the finest of the finest.